Milan's attack: Christian Pulisic and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal teammate Rafael Leao help form Serie A's second-most expensive forward line

AC Milan‘s attacking lineup, featuring key players Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao, has been ranked the second most valuable in Serie A following an updated analysis by Transfermarkt. This valuation reflects Milan’s strong presence in the league, even as the team faces fluctuations in individual player performances and market demand.

Transfermarkt‘s recent update on market values for Serie A players highlights several critical factors used to determine player worth. Their evaluation considers future prospects and age, club and national team performance, league reputation and financial status, market demand and marketing value, as well as injury history and experience.

These criteria aim to provide an accurate assessment of players’ current and projected market value. For the Italian top flight, this update marks the last intermediary revision for Europe’s top four leagues, evaluating the worth of 136 players across Italy’s first division.

Milan’s market rankings across departments

Transfermarkt has ranked Serie A clubs by the combined market value of their squads, segmented into defense, midfield, and attack. Milan’s standings are as follows:

• Defense (including goalkeepers): Fourth place, valued at €198.5 million
• Midfield: Fourth place, valued at €139.5 million
• Attack: Second place, valued at €195 million

Juventus tops the rankings for both midfield and attack, while Inter holds the lead for the most valuable defensive lineup.

Christian Pulisic: Rising on and off field

Christian Pulisic has experienced a resurgence in his market value, returning to levels not seen since 2018. His valuation has climbed by 25%, increasing from €40m to €50m, making him AC Milan’s most valuable player this season and equaling Alphonso Davies as the most valuable player in Concacaf.

“After a strong first season in Italy, Pulisic has made another big step forward this season and for now has taken over the role of the club’s biggest star from Leao,” said Jatin Dietl, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager for Italy in October.

Pulisic’s contributions have been significant, with 10 direct goal involvements in 14 games. Only Inter’s Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram have had more during the same period. This strong performance has solidified Pulisic’s position as a key player for the Rossoneri, despite his recent injury. He is expected to return to action by the early days of 2025.

Rafael Leao: Struggling for consistency but worth big bucks

While Pulisic’s trajectory is on the rise, the same cannot be said for Rafael Leao. The Portuguese winger has seen his market value drop by 17%, from €90m to €75m, largely due to inconsistent form and decreased market demand. “Leao’s form curve has been trending downwards for some time now. Occasionally, you can see his qualities, but he has struggled to be consistent,” noted Dietl.

At 25, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal teammate is no longer seen as the same emerging talent he once was, with questions about his maturity and consistency affecting his valuation. He now ranks behind Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (€80m) and Inter’s Nicolo Barella (€80m) among Serie A’s most valuable players.

Despite individual fluctuations, Paulo Fonseca’s attacking department remains one of its most valuable assets, underscoring the club’s investment in offensive talent. The combined valuation of €195m highlights the significant contributions of players like Pulisic and Leao, alongside their teammates.